


the prince & the pauper

by sapphire_eyes27



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Cat Kuroo Tetsurou, Cat Yachi Hitoka, Fluff and Angst, King Asahi, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pauper Semi, Prince Suga, Suga and Semi are twins, Tutor Daichi, plot pretty similar to barbie as the princess and the pauper, prince ushijima, weird medieval kingdom au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 11:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10333985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphire_eyes27/pseuds/sapphire_eyes27
Summary: What happens when Prince Suga crosses paths with a pauper who looks exactly like him? Suddenly, plots start unfolding and everything gets messy and of course, confusing. Being the prince or the pauper is not really what it seems.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GhostFox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostFox/gifts), [teenytanee](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=teenytanee).



> I really shouldn't be starting another fic, but I totally blame Mari and Taneesha for feeding into this obsession. I hate/love you guys. Inspired largely by Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper and the fact that Suga and Semi look so freaking alike, I give you this au.  
> WARNING:The Prologue mentions miscarriages and stillbirths. Also minor character death. If you're sensitive to that, I would advise not reading the prologue (although you might be confused later?) I tired to not go into it too much because that stuff makes me super, super sad. Honestly, only the prologue will be this sad. The rest of this fic will be pretty mild.  
> Anyway, enjoy!~

“Your Highness,” the midwife calls grimly, curtseying after emerging from the Queen’s delivery chambers. King Asahi stops pacing at the sound of her voice, eyes filled with hope. But the somber expression on her face makes his heart stop.

“What is the news?” Asahi asks urgently even though deep down inside, the pessimistic part of  him already knows. He didn’t hear any cries.

The midwife doesn’t meet his eyes and her lower lip trembles. “I am sorry, Your Highness. There was nothing we could do—”

He doesn’t hear her finish because the next second he’s rushing into the chambers.

Queen Kiyoko lays propped up against downy pillows on the large bed, hair matted and face ashen. Silken sheets cover her lower half, but Asahi can still see the blood stains.

Kiyoko looks up from the unmoving bundle in her arms when she hears Asahi enter. The other midwives discreetly leave, giving the couple their space.

The look on Kiyoko’s face shatters Asahi’s glass heart completely. His breathing becomes labored and the walls seem to be closing in around him as he approaches his wife and child.

Without her spectacles, Kiyoko’s blue eyes are large and devoid of any emotion. Her face is expressionless, as if she cannot believe the events that have just occurred. Her mouth opens but no words come out.

Asahi finally gets a good look at the swaddled child in Kiyoko’s arms. His child. _Their_ child.

He knows immediately. There is no rise and fall of the infant’s chest. There are no flushed cheeks. The tiny fingers are slack around Kiyoko’s finger.

Kiyoko looks up at Asahi. “I—I’m so sorry, Asahi,” she says, voice small and hallow. Asahi cannot bear this. “I could not give you an heir. I gave you many miscarriages and now a stillborn but—but not an heir.”

Kiyoko chokes on her last words, and Asahi quickly gathers her into his arms. She folds against him, pliant as a piece of thread, and cries on his chest. Each tear she sheds feels like a stab wound, and Asahi is slowly bleeding to death himself. He wants to tell Kiyoko it’s not her fault, that they’re still young and can try again. But all Asahi can do is hold her close, his own tears mixing with hers as they land on the motionless child’s face.

He has a tuff of soft hair, dark like Kiyoko’s. Asahi wonders if he also has her eyes, but he can’t bring himself to open the closed lids to check. The child looks too peaceful, and Asahi wants to let him rest.

Kiyoko falls asleep in his arms, exhausted from the mental, emotional and physical strain on her body and mind. Her tears have soaked through Asahi’s clothes, but he doesn’t dare let go of her in case the cold arms of death decide to spread their embrace.

But it seems fate is working hand in hand with death against Asahi anyway.

***

“Your Highness,” the court physician Ennoshita bows. His voice is low, urgent. “The Queen is not well.”

“What do you mean, Ennoshita?” Asahi asks. He stops mixing his tea with his calming draught. “I was with Kiyoko barely an hour ago. She seemed a little warm but otherwise she was fine physically.”

Ennoshita speaks carefully as if talking to frightened animal. “During labor, she not only lost a lot of blood but there was also an infection. I—I caught it too late. By the time I realized, it had already spread a lot. I am trying to treat it but…I am sorry, Your Highness. Nothing is working. I cannot do anything but watch it take its course.”

Asahi feels his ears ring with Ennoshita’s words. _I’m sorry, Your Highness_. _I cannot do anything._ He sinks into a chair, head in his hands. He just buried his son a week ago and now his wife too? How did he not notice this sooner? Has he been so wrapped up in the death of his child that he neglected his wife?

“How long—how long does she have?” Asahi asks, pinching his eyes shut to hold back the tears.

“A day. Maybe two,” Ennoshita answers truthfully after a moment.

“Leave,” Asahi says curtly.

He knows it’s not Ennoshita’s fault. Ennoshita is his friend and the best physician around. He’s been loyal to the royal family since he was born. But right now, if Asahi sees his face, he will want nothing more than to break his neck. Ennoshita bows and obeys the command.

Asahi takes a shaky breath, trying to compose himself before going to see his beloved wife. He’s not going to leave her side. The kingdom could be burning, and he still wouldn’t bat an eyelash and leave Kiyoko.

When Asahi enters their bedchambers, Kiyoko is sitting with their baby’s clothes scattered on her lap. She has been doing that every day for the past week, touching the brocade and beadwork forlornly. Her eyes are far off, no doubt already with their child in the next life. For someone who is dying, she looks at peace. _Some are better at accepting their fates than others_ , Asahi’s father had once told him. _But the sooner you can accept it, the sooner you can work your way around it._

“When did you know?” Asahi asks as he approaches his wife. Ennoshita must have told her. There was no way he didn’t. Kiyoko is skilled at reading people and can wiggle information out of anyone. It is she who has kept the kingdom so prosperous, not Asahi.

Kiyoko doesn’t look up from what she’s doing, but she doesn’t need to. She knows what her husband is asking. “Five days ago.”

Five days ago. Asahi could have had five more precious days with the love of his life.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” His voice sounds desperate and broken because that’s what he’s become now. He’s a desperate and broken man. At this moment, he would gladly sign away his own life if it meant Kiyoko’s would be safe.

When she looks up at him, her deep blue eyes are a mere whisper of what they once were. Asahi can hardly even recognize them.

“Promise me you won’t mourn too long,” she says, ignoring his question. “Promise me you will wed another. This kingdom needs an heir, not a barren queen.”

Her words make Asahi’s blood boil. Even on her deathbed, all Kiyoko can think about is the duty to the kingdom and how she failed at hers.

“Well, I need you!” Asahi’s voice booms. He looks away, tugging at his hair as tears of frustration, deception and even _guilt_ sting his eyes.

Kiyoko’s face softens as she beckons him with open arms. Asahi crawls next to her on the bed and despite his massive size, he feels small and utterly vulnerable in Kiyoko’s embrace. She strokes his hair in her lap, and Asahi realizes with a start that he needs to memorize all her touches. After all, he won’t have them for long.

“I will not make a promise I do not intend to keep,” he says bluntly.

“And what of the kingdom?” Kiyoko asks.

“I do not want it if you are not by my side.”

Kiyoko is quiet for a moment. Then, “You would give up everything you have worked so hard for?  You would leave your people unattended? Leave them to possibly suffer at hands of another kingdom?”

“I never asked to be king,” Asahi retorts. “If I had a choice, I would not pick this life.”

“Then we would never have met,” Kiyoko points out.

“We would have met,” Asahi says confidently. “We are meant for each other. No matter what alternative lives you and I would have led, we would have met. I do not care what others think, but you and I are destined to always meet.”

Kiyoko kisses his temple. “Then let me go in this life and meet me in the next,” she whispers. “I will be waiting for you with our son.”

Asahi feels the tears roll down the bridge of his nose in silent acceptance. _I am sorry._

Kiyoko passes away peacefully in his arms that night. Asahi knows the exact moment her heart stops beating and feels the helplessness wash over him like a tsunami wave. Even as her body grows steadily colder, Asahi holds her tight.

Ennoshita has to physically pry him away from her the next morning otherwise Asahi would follow her into her grave.

Kiyoko was beloved by all. Her death shocks the kingdom which is still recovering from the stillbirth. They grieve an entire week for their dead queen, but Asahi doesn’t think he will ever stop grieving.

He accepts the condolences from his court with the grace befitting only a king but behind closed doors he’s a husk of a man. He can’t even fall asleep (so used to having Kiyoko in his arms and then suddenly not) without Ennoshita’s sleeping draughts. But he needs to sleep because only in his dreams can he see Kiyoko again. Sometimes their child is there too and they’re like the happy family Asahi always wanted to be.

When he wakes up in the mornings, he’s always filled with dread. He knows he still has a duty to his kingdom, but it is hard to care when your rock, your pillar is suddenly gone. He goes through the motions of being the king anyway because he knows that’s what Kiyoko would have wanted. He just wonders every day when he will be with his family again.

***

“They definitely have your hair,” Akiteru says as he gazes lovingly at the two babies, one in his arms and one in Alisa’s.

They’re both sleeping peacefully after crying up a storm just moments before. Their long lashes flutter as they dream and their tiny mouths move to suckle on nothing but air. Akiteru runs a finger along the nose of the child in his arms, watching it scrunch up.

Alisa laughs weakly, still regaining her strength. “They have your eyes though.”

Akiteru’s face is one of disbelief. “Really? I thought they had _yours_. Well, one of them anyway.”

He looks into Alisa’s dual colored eyes, one blue as the sea and the other the color of honey. He remembers taking one look at Alisa’s enchanting eyes and immediately falling in love. It hasn’t changed even after all these years.

Alisa shrugs, resting her head on Akiteru’s shoulder, “Maybe they’ll change. Who knows? They aren’t even a day old yet.”

“I hope they don’t though,” Akiteru says. “They’ll look much more handsome with your looks.”

“You’re more delusional than I am—and I just got out of labor—if you think I didn’t take your fine looks into account when you first started courting me,” Alisa scoffs.

Akiteru laughs and Alisa feels it rumble deep in his chest. “And here I thought it was because I made a mean chicken gravy.”

Alisa chuckles, “That was the major selling point.”

Alisa sighs and closes her eyes. They sit silently, just enjoying each other’s company until one (or both) of the babies wake up and demand their attention all over again.

Akiteru interrupts the calm atmosphere with a question. “What should we name them?”

Alisa hums, thinking. “How about…Koushi and Eita?”  She gazes at the boy she’s holding. “This is Koushi, and he has the little beauty mark right by his left eye.” She regards at the identical twin boy in Akiteru’s arms with the same fondness. “And this is Eita, without the beauty mark but no less beautiful.”

“Koushi and Eita,” Akiteru says slowly, trying the names out. His lips stretch into a smile. “I love it.”

Alisa smiles too, relieved, until the doubts return full force.

She chews her lower lip, brows creased in agitation. “Do you—do you think we’ll be ok?”

She looks around their shabby lodgings, if one can even call them “lodgings”. It’s just a room with their rickety bed in one corner and the makeshift kitchen in the other. There is no private bathroom, only the common one outside that all tenants share. It’s not much, but Alisa and Akiteru have usually never needed much. With two more mouths to feed now, it suddenly feels like it’ll never be enough. Alisa wants to provide the best for their two boys, but right now she doesn’t know if they can even _survive_ , especially with winter right around the corner.

“We’ll be ok,” Akiteru’s confident voice breaks through Alisa’s fears. “I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you or Koushi and Eita.”

He kisses her gently on the forehead, and Alisa is glad for the reassurance. She couldn’t have married a better man than Akiteru.  

“I love you,” she says softly.

“I love you, too.”

No sooner are the words out of Akiteru’s mouth before the twins rouse and begin wailing. Alisa and Akiteru share tired smiles before working on placating their boys.

Everything will be ok because they have each other.

***

A few months later, when they’re well into winter, things take a turn for the worst.

Alisa and Akiteru barely get by even after borrowing money from their landlords, the Shirabus. They have just enough for the basic necessities and even then, some nights they go to sleep on an empty stomach. But Alisa makes sure her boys are always full. Luckily, they’re still breast feeding, and Alisa produces plenty of milk to satiate their constant hunger. She doesn’t want to think about what will happen once they’re weaned or when she stops lactating.  

She doesn’t even need to think that far ahead because their troubles being after Christmas. Six-month-old Koushi has suddenly developed a cough that hasn’t gone away for the past two days. And just last night, the fevers and sweats began.

Alisa holds her boy close to her breast as his tiny, fragile body wracks with coughs. Akiteru tries to come close to offer some comfort, but Alisa recoils.

“Keep Eita away from Koushi,” she commands. “We don’t know what he has and it could be contagious. I don’t want Eita to contract it too.”

She strokes Koushi’s sweaty silver hair. “It’s ok, baby. Momma’s got you. You’re going to be fine.”

Akiteru watches helplessly with Eita in his arms. Eita cries, begging to be changed out of his soiled cloth diapers, and Akiteru makes himself useful where he can.  

They can’t afford to take Koushi to the physician, so they pray he gets better on his own. They even try all the herbal medications they can afford. They’re expensive (but less than a visit to a physician) and offer no help. Almost after a week since the coughs started, Alisa and Akiteru notice that Koushi is getting weaker and weaker. He hardly feeds anymore and his once chubby cheeks and arms are rapidly losing their fat. His night sweats get worse too and soak the bedsheets on a daily basis.

“Akiteru, we need to do something,” Alisa cries after she sees Koushi cough up a droplet of blood for the first time. It stains Alisa’s clothes ominously, and she decides to never wear this dress again. “Otherwise, he’ll—he’ll—”

She doesn’t finish the sentence. She doesn’t need to. Akiteru has seen families similar to theirs bury their infants because they couldn’t afford to treat them. He vows to not be like one of those families. He has been blessed with two boys, and he will make sure his two boys outlive both him and Alisa.

“The King,” he says, eyes wild with hope, “We should go to King Asahi and ask him for help. He can get Koushi treated. He’s a kind king and will agree to it. I know he will because he knows what it’s like to lose someone he loves. He won’t want someone else to go through the same thing.”

This is their only option.

And Alisa agrees.

***

Every week King Asahi has a day set aside for his people. The entire morning (and sometimes even the afternoon), his subjects will come bearing their woes.

Some are farmers asking for more land to grow their crops on. Other are merchants politely demanding lower taxes and better sale prices within the kingdom. Regardless of the situation, people start lining up at the castle hall doors at the crack of dawn.

This week is extra busy it seems and with the twins having a slow morning, Alisa and Akiteru are nowhere near the front of the line. They look at each other anxiously with the twins, wrapped tight to ward off the winter cold, in their arms. They hope they can meet with the king today because they can’t wait another week. Koushi will not survive that long.

Alisa looks down at Koushi’s pale face. He’s almost completely hidden in all the layers unlike his brother. He’s so tiny at six months and light like a loaf of bread. He wheezes in his sleep, and Alisa holds him tighter as tears prick her eyes. Akiteru hugs her to his side and she lets him.

They wait in line for hours, inching closer and closer. The twins get restless, no doubt hungry and in need of a change, but Alisa and Akiteru don’t dare move. They’ve traveled far to the castle and they can’t turn back now. Alisa ends up feeding them in the line with Akiteru covering her modestly. Koushi feeds a little before throwing it all back up. Alisa wishes the line would go faster. With each passing moment, she feels like they’re sinking into quicksand, and soon it will be impossible to escape.

When it’s just past afternoon, Alisa and Akiteru are the next to see the king. They share relieved smiles and await their turn.

The castle guard returns with the farmer that was ahead of Alisa and Akiteru in tow. The farmer leaves, looking displeased. The family shuffles forward eagerly because finally they can meet with the king.

The guard stops them but his loud words address everyone in the line.

“The King will not be seeing any more subjects today. He is unwell and wishes to retire. Please come back next week.”

People behind Alisa groan and curse but start walking back nonetheless. Alisa’s heart constricts when she hears the guard’s words. It’s like someone is squeezing it tight until she can’t breathe.  

“Please,” Akiteru begs, “We _have_ to see King Asahi. Our son is deathly ill and only the King can help. Our baby will die before next week.”

The guard looks conflicted, especially when he sees Koushi’s pale face.

“I am sorry but I cannot allow you to see him,” he tells Akiteru reluctantly. “They are strict orders, and I cannot disobey the King.”

Akiteru tries to sidestep the guard anyway but he’s stopped. Other guards block his path, halberds raised defiantly, and the first guard holds him firmly. Eita wiggles in Akiteru’s arms, ready to bellow any second from the discomfort of the scuffle.

“I cannot allow you to—”

While the guards are distracted by Akiteru, Alisa makes a quick decision to run past them. They don’t see this coming. Guards shout at her to stop, but she doesn’t listen. With adrenaline pumping in her veins, she pushes open the grand doors of the hall and slips inside.

Asahi is just about to walk out in the back of the hall followed by his entourage. He doesn’t hear Alisa enter, and he’s about to disappear from view when Alisa yells for his attention.

“Your Highness!”  

Asahi turns at the mention of his title, surprised. His eyes meet Alisa’s dual-colored ones and widen. Alisa doesn’t think twice of it. People always have the same reaction when they see her eyes for the first time.

She’s about to run across the hall and throw herself at Asahi’s feet when the doors fling open and more guards rush in to grab Alisa.

Alisa squirms in their hold and Koushi begins to cry softly. Akiteru is still outside, struggling against the guards to protect his wife and other child.

“Your Highness, please, we need your help!” Alisa yells desperately.

“Our apologies, Your Highness. We tried to stop this woman—,” the guard holding Alisa back says quickly.

“My son,” Alisa interrupts the guard, “My son will die if you don’t help!” The next words are out of Alisa’s mouth before she can even stop them. “You would’ve done anything for your own wife and child, and I’m just doing the same. Please!”

Asahi’s jaw tightens as he breaks away from his attendants and strides towards Alisa.

“Let her go,” he says roughly and the guards break away from Alisa. She quickly curtseys before him.

“Is that your husband outside?” Asahi asks.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Alisa answers without raising her head.

Asahi nods. “Bring him in too and close the doors.”

Akiteru dashes to Alisa’s side to make sure she and Koushi are ok. When Eita hears his twin’s cries, he too begins wailing. The parents try to calm them down.

“Rise,” Asahi commands.

Alisa and Akiteru hastily comply.

“What ails your child?” Asahi’s voice is much softer now.

“Your Highness, our son is sick,” Alisa explains, “It’s been a week since he’s been like this and he isn’t getting any better. We don’t know what’s wrong with him. We can’t afford to take him to a physician, but he’ll die if he doesn’t see one.”

“Show me the child,” Asahi says.

Alisa removes the blankets from around Koushi’s face to show to Asahi. Asahi steps forward to inspect the infant. His heart breaks when Koushi starts coughing in the middle of crying. Alisa pats him gently on the back but the coughs don’t subside. Blood dribbles past his chin and Alisa wipes it away. Asahi has seen enough.

“Follow me,” he says to the stunned couple and turns on his heel. Alisa and Akiteru follow a few steps behind with two guards flanking them.

“Ennoshita, you as well,” Asahi says when he passes by his curious company. A man with dark hair wearing a white tunic breaks away from the group and follows the king. “The rest of you are dismissed.”

Alisa doesn’t know where the king is taking them, but she’s hopeful. They weave through the castle halls, everything blurring together before Alisa’s eyes. The only thing she distinctly remembers seeing is a full-length portrait of Queen Kiyoko in a deep purple gown. Asahi finally stops outside of Ennoshita’s chambers where he treats his patients. The guards open the doors and the group files in. Once the doors close, Asahi turns to Alisa and Akiteru.

“How many children do you have?” He asks.

Alisa’s eyebrows furrow at the sudden question, but she answers him anyway. “Just these two, Your Highness.”

He nods before addressing Ennoshita, “Will you be able to treat the child?”

“I need to know what is wrong with him before I can treat him,” Ennoshita says while looking expectantly at Alisa and Akiteru.

They parents tell him the symptoms.

Ennoshita’s face gives nothing away as he listens and deduces the disease.

When they finish giving all the information, Ennoshita says to Asahi, “Yes, I can treat him.”

“What is wrong with him?” Akiteru asks because Alisa is too happy to form a coherent sentence. Their baby can be cured.

Ennoshita waits for Asahi’s permission. When the King grants it, he speaks, “Your boy has tuberculosis. With the proper medication, food and rest, he will survive. The medication will need to be administered regularly though and possibly for up to six months depending on how sick he already is.”

“Do you want your child cured?” Asahi asks.

Alisa wants to laugh in his face at the ridiculous question. “Of course, Your Highness! We’re willing to do anything in return.” Akiteru nods vehemently from beside her.

The pity in Asahi’s eyes makes Alisa wonder what they did to deserve it. It seems uncharacteristic and unneeded. Alisa’s skin crawls, and she holds Koushi closer to her.

“‘Anything’, you say?” Asahi muses. “Are you willing to…give him up if it meant he would survive?”

Alisa gasps sharply. “Wh—what?”

“I have a proposition for you,” Asahi says like he’s dealing with a trade negotiation (which, in a way, he is). “I do not have an heir, but I would like one. I do not intend to take another betrothed.” Alisa’s blood runs cold when he looks at Koushi. “You have two sons but one is dying. I can have Ennoshita treat him but the child will then be mine.”

Alisa blanches and even Ennoshita is shocked.

“You—you can’t be serious!” Her mouth twists in disgust and a vile taste invades her mouth.

But Asahi’s brown eyes don’t jest. They continue staring unblinkingly. “You seem like good people,” he says finally. “Do you not want to see your child grow up healthy?”

Akiteru and Alisa tense.

“You have been blessed with another son,” Asahi continues, “I will take the sick one, and I promise he will grow up safe. He will be a prince and will be in want of nothing. Everything will be at the palm of his hand. And when I am gone, he will inherit the kingdom.”

Now comes the hardest part of all.

“But you will not be allowed to see him. He will never know who his real parents are. When you return to your daily lives, you must tell everyone that your son fell to this disease. I will make sure everyone here never tells him he is adopted. I will treat him as if he were my own son, my own flesh and blood. That is my proposition.”

The room is silent after Asahi finishes talking but his words still echo in Alisa’s ears.

“You would tear a mother from her child?” She finally says, voice dripping with disbelief. She never knew this was the kind of man that ruled the people: selfish, heartless and cruel.

“This is the hand you have been dealt by fate,” Asahi says, unwavering, “You can choose to play as wisely as possible with what you have or you can let your weak will get the better of you and throw away the game. Tell me, where will you fare better?”

“You’re a manipulative king behind a timid façade,” Alisa spits out. Her eyes could drown and burn a man at the same time.

“I am a lonely king,” Asahi says, unperturbed. “I am only accepting my fate and working around it.”

“Alisa,” Akiteru says softly. She turns to him with a torn, heartbroken face. “I don’t want to do this—”

“I don’t either,” she interjects.

“But,” Akiteru retakes the reins and holds onto them firmly, “I promised myself that I wouldn’t bury either of my children, that both would grow old and far outlive us.”

Alisa still looks uncertain.

“At least we’ll know he’s fine back at the castle,” Akiteru presses. “We may not be able to see him, but we’ll know he’s safe and sound.”

Alisa turns away from him, head lowered and staring at Koushi’s face.

“Alisa, please,” Akiteru pleads, “We don’t have another choice. He won’t survive if we don’t do this. We do not have the money to get him treated for tuberculosis. Do you want to live with the guilt and regret for the rest of your life?”

The words hang in the air, heavy like a block of lead.

Akiteru hates using such underhanded tactics. He hates playing with Alisa’s emotions, but he has no choice. Alisa herself knows this is their only option.

“Two weeks,” she says, surrendering, but there’s an edge to her voice that has even the king straining his ears and straightening his back. “I want two weeks with my boy. I want to make sure he is recovering properly. After that—,” she closes her eyes and inhales shakily, “After that he is yours. These are my conditions.”  

Asahi nods. “I will grant this to you.” He turns to Ennoshita then. “See to the child immediately.”

Ennoshita carefully takes Koushi from Alisa’s arms and she lets him, albeit reluctantly. She still doesn’t fully trust them.

Asahi heads to the door, ready to shut himself in his room. He feels a headache creeping up and knows it will last a while. He stops by the couple before leaving.

“You must be hungry,” Asahi says, but Alisa doesn’t even spare him a glance. She stares resolutely forward, jaw clenched, and for the first time, Asahi feels like mud beneath someone’s shoes. “I will have someone bring you both some food.”

His next words are barely above a whisper. “You are doing the right thing.”

“We know. That doesn’t make it any easier though.”

But there is no reward without some sacrifice.

***

That evening Ennoshita enters the king’s bedchambers with a fresh new draught for his headache.

Asahi sits at his table, writing in the glow of the candlelight with his shaggy hair in a disarray. Ennoshita has advised him many times to not strain his eyes, but Asahi never listens. He will end up needing glasses earlier than Ennoshita had predicted at this rate.

“This ought to help, Your Highness,” Ennoshita says as he offers Asahi a spoonful of the medicine. Asahi grimaces at the taste but gulps it down.

“How is the child?” Asahi asks.

“I have started him on the medicine,” Ennoshita informs him, “It is too soon to say how he is responding to it right now, but he is going to survive. They brought him in just in time.”

Asahi nods, satisfied. “That is good. I do not want the child to die.”

Ennoshita worries his lower lip between his teeth before finally gathering the courage to ask the question that has been milling around in his mind since the afternoon.

“Your Highness, if you do not mind me asking, why did you suddenly decide to adopt this child?” When Asahi doesn’t answer, Ennoshita continues, “I did not even know you were thinking of adopting a child. If you had told me, I would have found you many infants and ones with no parents to care for them. It would have been easier. We cannot be sure that the parents will keep their promise and not return to claim their child when he is old enough. It could pose as potential threat to the kingdom.”

“They will keep their promise,” Asahi says sagely. His eyes are far off as he relives a moment Ennoshita is not privy to. “I had a dream last night. It was the first dream after Kiyoko’s passing in which she and our child were not in. Instead, there was a young boy who I had never seen before. He had silver hair and a beauty mark by his left eye. When he saw me, he smiled brightly, and although I could not hear him, I could read his lips and he said ‘Papa’. After seeing the infant today, I knew this was the same child from my dream. I could not just ignore this sign.”

Ennoshita doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t even think it’s his place to say anything contrary. So, like Asahi’s loyal subject and friend he just offers his support. “I am sure you will make a fine father. The boy is lucky to grow under your guidance.”

“Yes, well, I hope he thinks the same.” Asahi rises from his chair, massaging his temples. Ennoshita takes it as his cue to leave.

“The boy’s name is Koushi,” Ennoshita says, pausing by the door at the last second. “I thought you might want to know since you never asked.”

“I did not ask because I intend to name him myself,” Asahi says with his usual air of authority. “He is now _my_ son, after all.”

“And what do you intend to call him?” Ennoshita’s curiosity gets the better of him.

“Sugawara. He will be known as Sugawara, Prince of Karasuno.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still trying to find my rhythm for this fic. Thoughts? Comments? Concerns? Leave em below and don't be shy with the kudos button ;)  
> Come say hi on my [tumblr](http://www.rolling-blunder.tumblr.com)!


End file.
